The Bullet Swallower

A Novel

By: Elizabeth Gonzalez James

Narrated by: Lee Osorio

A “mesmerizing...wildly entertaining” (The Boston Globe) magical realism western in the vein of Cormac McCarthy meets Gabriel García Márquez, The Bullet Swallower follows a Mexican bandido as he sets off for Texas to rob a train, only to encounter a mysterious figure who has come, finally, to collect a cosmic debt generations in the making.

In 1895, Antonio Sonoro is the latest in a long line of ruthless men. He’s good with his gun and drawn to trouble but he’s also out of money and out of options. A drought has ravaged the town of Dorado, Mexico, where he lives with his wife and children, and so when he hears about a train laden with gold and other treasures, he sets off for Houston to rob it—with his younger brother Hugo in tow. But when the heist goes awry and Hugo is killed by the Texas Rangers, Antonio finds himself launched into a quest for revenge that endangers not only his life and his family, but his eternal soul.

In 1964, Jaime Sonoro is Mexico’s most renowned actor and singer. But his comfortable life is disrupted when he discovers a book that purports to tell the entire history of his family beginning with Cain and Abel. In its ancient pages, Jaime learns about the multitude of horrific crimes committed by his ancestors. And when the same mysterious figure from Antonio’s timeline shows up in Mexico City, Jaime realizes that he may be the one who has to pay for his ancestors’ crimes, unless he can discover the true story of his grandfather Antonio, the legendary bandido El Tragabalas, The Bullet Swallower.

A family saga that’s epic in scope and loosely based on the author’s own great-grandfather, The Bullet Swallower is “rich in lyrical language, gripping action, and enchanting magical realism” (Esquire). It tackles border politics, intergenerational trauma, and the legacies of racism and colonialism in a lush setting with stunning prose that asks who pays for the sins of our ancestors and whether it is possible to be better than our forebearers.

©2024 Elizabeth Gonzalez James (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Critic reviews

"I loved narrating this book because it has something for everyone—there’s a Western revenge story with shootouts, a movie star visited by a mysterious stranger, and it’s all sprinkled with magical realism. Elizabeth Gonzalez James has beautifully crafted a wild ride of a story that asks if we can break the centuries-old curses we are born into." (Lee Osorio, narrator)

A great start to 2024

I've been picking away at this since the start of the year as part of my resolution to read more new books. I picked a real winner here. amazing performance, no notes

Good read! Recommended by my daughter.

So much imagination used to create this story. Interesting take on time and the Grimm reaper

Amazing!

I loved the story and narration! It was definitely different from anything I've listened to in a long time. The unique perspective and engaging storytelling kept me captivated from start to finish. The narrator's voice added an extra layer of depth to the experience, making the characters feel so real and relatable. I found myself completely immersed in the world created, and I appreciated the fresh take on the themes explored. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something original and thought-provoking!

Mystical Mexican Caballero’s Cuento.

A wonderfully woven story of the sins of the father, revenge, forgiveness, and redemption. Told part western, part mystery, and part ghost story, the book keeps you enthralled in every single detail.

Incredible Story!

I was on the edge of my seat listening to this book. It was very well written and the story line captured my attention to the very last word. The performer was absolutely amazing! He was by far the best reader on audiobooks I have ever listened to. I could tell the characters apart so easily and looked forward to hearing how he would interpret each new character as they were introduced by the author.

Beautiful prose!

This is so beautifully written- such picturesque descriptions of places, and incidents. Humorous at times. A story of evil and good- much of the time indwelling the same characters. I hope people will give this beautiful book a chance!

Fantasy-infused Western page turner!

A very fun read. Kept me excited to hear more from the very beginning. Colorful characters are creative lore building. Highly recommend.

Good story and characters.

The ending was not satisfying to me. Maybe others will disagree. Everyone is different in their tastes.

Fun and interesting tale

I’m so grateful for joining the Book-of-the-Month club and having them recommend books Like this one. my typical go to our female, driven female, written female performed in the book of the month club stretches my mind a bit more
The story reminds me a lot of Gabriel Garcia‘s work where it’s whimsical fantastical in parts. The story goes on and on in this weavy windy way that makes it just more interesting. It’s nice to see another author pick up that style. I can picture of the old Texas old Mexican showdowns in my head. This is great keep up the amazing work!

Get this book

Great story and a great performance. I loved the way the author weaved the contemporary with the historical.